mitchell



(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. F. L. MITCHELL. Fire Escape.

Patented Oct. 26, 1880.

WITNESSES 5 & a I

" ATTORNEY (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet2 F. L. MITCHELL. Fire Escape.

No. 233,788. Pat ented Oct. 26.1880.

WlTNESSES NJFIERS, PHOTU-LITMOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

FRANCIS L. MITCHELL, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

Fl RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,788, dated October 26, 1880.

Application filed March 20, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, F. L. MITCHELL, of St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a perspective view of my improved fireescape. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same folded. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the base platform, and Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the top platform.

This invention has relation to improvements in that description of fire-ladders wherein a platform is raised by an arrangement of pivoted cross-beams or lazy-tongs; and the nature of the invention consists in the arrangement and novel construction of the mechanism used, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawings, the letter A designates a strong rectangular frame, supported, if desired, upon suitable legs, or mounted upon acarriage. Thisframeislongitudinallybraced by the beams (4, arranged parallel to each other, and supporting and guiding a sash-carriage, B. It is also provided, near each end, with a winding-drum, G, which, by means of ropes O, imparts a horizontal sliding motion to the carriage B. The ropes G are secured to said carriage, passed around one of drums O; thence to the other drum, around which it is coiled several times; thence back to the carriage, to which it is again secured. By imparting rotary motion to either of these drums the carriage will travel on the ways a, and the motion will be reversed by reversing the movement of the said drums; but I prefer to use the drum around which the ropes O are coiled. This maybe done in light structures by means of a crank applied to the end of the said drum, and Where unusual power is required the said drum may have a large gear-wheel engaging a smaller one on an independent shaft driven by a crank or other equivalent mechanism.

The slide or carriage B is provided with laterally-projecting spindles 1), upon which are arranged the vertically-vibrating lower arms,

(No model.)

D,'of the pivoted cross-beams orlazy-ton gs D. The corresponding arms D of this part of the lazy-tongs is pivoted to the frame A, crosses the arm D, and is pivoted thereto by means of a brace, c, the reduced ends of which extend through the arms D D at their intersection.

The arm D has pivoted to its upper end a second arm, E, and arm D a short arm, E, which is pivoted to the middle portion of arm E. Thelazy-tongs D, at each side of the frame B, are connected together at the intersection of arms D E and D Eby the brace-rods (1 cl, the reduced ends of which pass through the ends of said arms and brace the said lazy-ton gs D together, nuts being applied upon the ends of said rods for the purpose. Near the other end of ways a are pivoted to the frame the arms F of a second pair of lazy-ton gs, G, connected pivotally at their ends to the arms F, corresponding to the arms E of the other set of tongs, D. The arms F F are connected together by means of the arms G, pivoted at one end to the middle of the length of the said arms, and at the other to each other.

The arms G are connected together at their point of intersection by a brace-rod, 6, having reduced ends extended through the lapped ends of the said arms. The joints of thelazy- -tongs are precisely on the same level with each other, as shown in Fig. 1, and the said tongs are connected together, so as to Work simultaneously, by means of the longitudinal horizontal coupling-bars I J.

The bars I are attached pivotally at opposite ends to the braces d, and the outer arms, F F, of the tongs G longitudinally slotted for the passage of the brace-rod 0, while the couplings J are pivoted at opposite ends to the braces d. e, and slotted longitudinally for the passage of the other brace, d, the slot 8 of the said coupling-bars being for the purpose of allowing the braces d d c to approach or recede from each otherin the act of extendin g and contracting the lazy-tongs mechanism and bracingthe said tongs longitudinally. These mech anisms are operated simultaneously, owing to their being coupled together, and their upper branches are pivoted to a strong rectangular frame, H, having suitable railings f and supporting a platform, g, so that as they are contracted or extended they lower or raise the platform g horizontally. This platform is provided with a horizontally-vibratin g arm, h, to which are secured a number of metal fireguards, h, and with nozzles 7c, connected by hose 1 with fire-plugs or engines. This platform 9 is also connected to a platform, K, on the end of frame A by means of a rope ladder, L, by means of which the firemen ascend and descend andrescued persons reach the ground.

The ascent and descent is rendered safe by means of the man-ropes N, which are drawn taut at the same time as the ladder.

If desired, the ladder and man-ropes may be paid off from reels controlled by a pawl-andratchet mechanism, so that they may be kept properly taut, Whatever be the degree of elevation of the platform g. The Winding-drums are also controlled by pawl-and-ratchet devices.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fire-ladder, the combination, With the frame A, of the sets of lazy-tongs D G at the ends of the frame, supporting the platform 9, the horizontal sliding couplings I J, connecting the sets of lazy-tongs, the sliding carriage B, and a mechanism actuating said carriage, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the frame A, the slide-carriage B, and a mechanism actuating the same, of the lazy-tongs D, pivoted by one arm to said frame and by the other to the slide, the lazy-tongs G, pivoted to the frame, the platform g, carried by the said tongs, and the coupling-bars I J, connecting the said tongs, substantially as specified.

8. The combination, with the coupled lazyton gs D G and theplatform g, supported thereby, of a sliding carriage, B, arranged in a frame Which supports one leg of said tongs D and is pivoted to the other leg of the tongs, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the frame A, having the platform g, and the lazy-tongs D G, carrying the platform, of the flexible ladderL and hand-ropes N, secured at each end to one of said platforms, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS L. MITCHELL.

Witnesses THOMAS S. SMITH, E. Goon. 

